This invention relates to a stable structure, specially devised for cattle self-feeding and open air pen cattle breeding installations.
Today's animal breeding stables, and cattle breeding stables especially, both for producing meat and dairy products, differ considerably from the traditional concept of an enclosed stable with the animals on tether therein. This development has been dictated by two basic requirements: to reduce the labour force required per head of cattle, and to improve the animal hygienic conditions in order to prolong their life span, increase the production output and reduce the losses due to disease. Since such requirements are somewhat conflicting, and the experimentation is time consuming and difficult to carry out owing to the large number of environmental and economical parameters involved, various approaches have been hitherto proposed which differ from one another in that different combinations have been adopted of rest places, feeding places and milking station, if any, and different forms for the berths, and feeding, cleaning and draining systems.
Among the above approaches, some have proved successful for what concern the mechanization and automation of the cited steps. This functionality is, however, achieved at the expense of plant increased costs resulting from an excessively large area per head of cattle. Furthermore, in the totality of the prior art cases, the fodder or nurture dispensing apparatus requires sizeable and costly conveyance and dispensing means, with a path or passageway that occupies valuable sheltered space to this very aim.
Another shortcoming or problem of the prior art stables resides in the partitioning of the stable proper from enclosed storage areas or sheds for fodder and nurture: this, further to requiring additional transparent facilities, involves an increased sheltered area and, accordingly, increased plant unit cost. Although the shed and protecting roof art has made considerable progress, the cost per unit of sheltered area is still too high for the average farm management, where the invested capital has a lower turnover, and where, however, a standardization level may be achieved such as would not be thought possible in the industrial field.